How To Cut Chayote Squash
If this is your first time cutting chayote, this article is for you. Although preparing chayote squash for cooking isn’t difficult, it requires a bit of skill due to its unique shape. Let’s learn how to cut chayote squash in the shortest time possible to make delicious dishes from it.
Table of Contents
What Is Chayote Squash?
Chayote squash, also known as choko, vegetable pear, or mirliton, is a green, pear-shaped vegetable belonging to the gourd family, along with squash, pumpkin, and cucumber. Native to Mexico, nowadays chayote squash is popular in many parts of the world, including Central and South America, the southern United States, and Asia.
Chayote squash has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a slightly crispy texture. It can be eaten raw in salads but is normally roasted or incorporated into stir-fries or soups. We can also use it as an ingredient to make vegan broth.
Moreover, chayote squash also offers many nutritional benefits. It is low in calories and very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins (such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate), and minerals (such as potassium and manganese).
Nutrition Value of Chayote Squash
Here’s a detailed breakdown of its nutritional value per 100 grams (approximately one cup) of raw chayote squash:
- Calories: 19 kcal
- Protein: 0.7 grams
- Carbohydrates: 4.5 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugars: 1.5 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Vitamins:
- Vitamin C: 7.7 mg (13% DV)
- Vitamin K: 6.7 mcg (8% DV
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg (4% DV)
- Folate: 22 mcg (6% of DV)
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.04 mg (3% DV)
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 0.03 mg (2% DV)
- Niacin: 0.4 mg (2% DV)
- Minerals:
- Potassium: 125 mg (4% DV)
- Magnesium: 12 mg (3% DV)
- Phosphorus: 18 mg (2% DV)
- Calcium: 17 mg (2% DV)
- Iron: 0.3 mg (2% DV)
- Zinc: 0.2 mg (1% DV)
While chayote squash is generally considered safe to eat and offers numerous health benefits, consuming too much of any food, including chayote squash, can potentially lead to certain health issues. Some examples are digestive discomfort, electrolyte imbalance which can lead to kidney stones, and a drop in blood sugar levels. Therefore, you should only eat a moderate amount of chayote squash and combine it with other ingredients like mushrooms, pork, chicken, etc.
How To Cut Chayote Squash
With an appearance resembling a wrinkled pear, peeling and cutting a chayote squash might be a bit tricky. Additionally, the resin in chayote squash can adhere to your hands when peeled. Some people may experience an itching sensation when handling this fruit, so when peeling, it’s better to wear gloves. Here’s how to cut chayote squash in 10 minutes:
Step 1. Washing the Chayote Squash
- Before cutting, thoroughly rinse the chayote squash under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris from the surface.
Step 2. Cutting the Chayote Squash into Pieces
- On a cutting board, slice the chayote squash lengthwise from top to bottom, creating two equal halves. Then, cut them into quarters. Locate the seed core running through the center of each quarter. Use the knife to cut out and discard the seed core, leaving behind the edible flesh.
Step 3. Peeling the Chayote Squash
- Although peeling the chayote squash is optional, I recommend doing it because the resin in chayote squash might have a negative impact on your digestive health. Wear gloves to avoid the resin from sticking to your skin. Use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to remove the outer skin. With the wrinkles that you couldn’t peel with the peeler, use your knife to carefully remove the skin. Then, wash them with a bit of salt to remove the resin completely.
Step 4. Cutting the Chayote Squash into Desired Shapes
- Now that you have halved and seeded the chayote squash, you can proceed to cut it into your desired shapes. Common options include slicing it into thin strips, dicing it into cubes, or cutting it into wedges, depending on your recipe requirements.
Step 5. Rinsing and Using
- Once you have cut the chayote squash into the desired shapes, give them a final rinse under cold salty water to remove the resin as much as possible and to make them crunchier. Now, your chayote squash is ready to be used in your favorite recipes.
After rinsing in salty water, your chayote squash is ready to go.
Chayote Squash Substitute
There may be times when you want to try a recipe that includes chayote squash as an ingredient, but you’re running out of it. From my experience, there are still some substitutes for chayote squash that have similar texture, taste, and appearance. Kohlrabi is a perfect option, followed by daikon and zucchini.
There are various chayote squash recipes for you to try, such as chayote stir fry with mushrooms, chayote stir fry with eggs, boiled/steamed chayote, sautéed chayote squash, roasted chayote, and so on. Now that you know how to cut chayote squash in just a few minutes, let’s start making your favorite chayote dishes!
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How To Cut Chayote Squash
Ingredients
- Chayote Squash
- Salt
- Water
Instructions
- The resin in chayote squash can adhere to your hands when peeled. Some people may experience an itching sensation when handling this fruit, so when peeling, it’s better to wear gloves. Here’s how to cut chayote squash in 10 minutes:
Step 1. Washing the Chayote Squash
- Before cutting, thoroughly rinse the chayote squash under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris from the surface.
Step 2. Cutting the Chayote Squash into Pieces
- On a cutting board, slice the chayote squash lengthwise from top to bottom, creating two equal halves. Then, cut them into quarters. Locate the seed core running through the center of each quarter. Use the knife to cut out and discard the seed core, leaving behind the edible flesh.
Step 3. Peeling the Chayote Squash
- Although peeling the chayote squash is optional, I recommend doing it because the resin in chayote squash might have a negative impact on your digestive health. Wear gloves to avoid the resin from sticking to your skin. Use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to remove the outer skin. With the wrinkles that you couldn't peel with the peeler, use your knife to carefully remove the skin. Then, wash them with a bit of salt to remove the resin completely.
Step 4. Cutting the Chayote Squash into Desired Shapes
- Now that you have halved and seeded the chayote squash, you can proceed to cut it into your desired shapes. Common options include slicing it into thin strips, dicing it into cubes, or cutting it into wedges, depending on your recipe requirements.
Step 5. Rinsing and Using
- Once you have cut the chayote squash into the desired shapes, give them a final rinse under cold salty water to remove the resin as much as possible and to make them crunchier. Now, your chayote squash is ready to be used in your favorite recipes.